Question 93·Hard·Words in Context
Although the company had previously relied on bold marketing stunts to capture the public’s attention, its latest campaign is remarkably ______, favoring subtle messaging and incremental engagement over grand gestures.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
For SAT Words in Context questions, first read the entire sentence and underline clue words, especially contrast signals like “although,” “but,” or “however,” and descriptive phrases near the blank. Briefly restate in your own words what the missing word should mean (for example, “not flashy, more controlled”). Then test each choice against all the clues: eliminate any word that fits only part of the sentence or reverses the contrast. Don’t pick a word just because it’s hard or familiar—pick the one that exactly matches the meaning created by the surrounding context.
Hints
Notice the contrast word
Look at the very first word: "Although". That signals a contrast between how the company used to market and how it is marketing now. Ask yourself: is the new campaign similar to or different from the old bold stunts?
Focus on the description after the blank
Read carefully: "favoring subtle messaging and incremental engagement over grand gestures." Think about what kind of style is being described here—loud and flashy, or quiet and controlled?
Match tone, not just difficulty
Check each answer and ask: Does this word fit a campaign that is subtle and gradual? Eliminate any choice that suggests being very showy, unstable, or mainly about emotions, since the sentence is talking about style of marketing, not mood.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
Start by noticing the word "Although" at the beginning. This tells you the sentence is contrasting previous behavior (relying on bold marketing stunts) with the latest campaign (described in the second half). The blank describes what the new campaign is like, in contrast to the old one.
Use the context after the comma
Focus on the description right after the blank: "favoring subtle messaging and incremental engagement over grand gestures." This tells you the new campaign is:
- subtle (not loud or showy)
- incremental (slow and gradual)
- avoiding grand gestures (big, flashy stunts)
So the missing word must describe something low-key, controlled, and not flashy.
Check each answer against the context
Now test each option against the idea of a campaign that is subtle and gradual instead of bold and grand:
- A word suggesting instability or explosiveness would not match.
- A word suggesting flashiness or showiness would actually describe the old style, not the new one.
- A word focused mainly on lack of emotion doesn’t really match the marketing style described.
Only one option fits the idea of being controlled and not showy while contrasting with bold stunts.
Choose the word that fits all clues
The word “restrained” means controlled, held back, and not showy, which perfectly matches “subtle messaging and incremental engagement over grand gestures” and contrasts with the earlier “bold marketing stunts.” Therefore, the best answer is D) restrained.